Who We Are
by strawberryfinn
Summary: What happens when the gang grows up? Do they remain friends? Do past romances remain? Who's making it and who's falling behind? Because even surrounded by people, it's not hard to feel alone. Troyella, Chaylor, Zekepay, etc.


**Author's Note**: This was inspired greatly by SillverMedal's _Mistakes We Knew We Were Making_. I kind of wondered what would happen if the High School Musical gang grew up. Would they still be friends? Would romances stay the same? So I decided to do a futuristic look at their lives and what would happen. This will involve the following main characters: Gabriella Montez, Troy Bolton, Chad Danforth, Jason Cross, Kelsi Nielsen, Ryan Evans, Sharpay Evans, Taylor McKessie, and Zeke Baylor. I don't own those characters or High School Musical, but I do own the plotline and the characters I do make up.

* * *

Twenty-five year old Jason Cross was tired. His entire body ached with fatigue and his brow was creased as he rubbed his hand over his forehead worriedly. He couldn't wait to get home, turn on the TV, and hang out with a couple of his old high school friends.

He was getting ready to leave, pulling on his jacket, but one of his co-workers came up to him. She had dark blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes but they were overshadowed with worry. "Jason?"

What was her name? Julie? Jamie? He read her nametag. _Oh_. Jennifer.

"Yes Jennifer?"

"They want you in Room 234. New patient—fifteen-year-old boy. Damian Hunter. He doesn't seem to want to open up to anybody and he woke up about fifteen minutes ago. Came in due to a broken foot and other injuries—school bullies. They were looking for a male input; I'm sorry, it just seems like all the other men have gone for the night. He's just sitting there staring out the window."

"Oh, no problem," Jason gave her a polite smile, trying to hide his disappointment of not being able to go home yet. But he'd gotten himself into this profession and had known what he was in store for. So he had to go do his job.

Jason Cross was training to be a doctor. He was currently working as a male nurse at the St. Sabian's hospital located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He hoped to get enough medical training and then finish medical school which he also was currently working in. But his help at the hospital also helped him afford his own apartment and other such necessities for his family was not extremely affluent, leaving him to attempt to put himself through medical school.

Jason stepped into Room 234 now, holding himself up against the wall, his hand pressed against the plaster. He looked in, not moving, watching the boy that was sitting on his bed. Damian's chocolate colored hair spilled out from under his grey hooded jacket, his face was bent as he stared steadily out the window. His hair had a streak of dyed whitish-blonde that somehow matched his skin. His features were rather fragile and delicate looking; his legs were tucked up into his chest as he just looked out at the world outside. His foot was wrapped in a cast as well as his hand, and as he turned his face slightly, Jason could see the bruises across his pale skin.

"Hey," Jason said hoarsely, watching as the boy turned to look at him. "You ok?"

Damian looked up at him and then brought his head back to the window, not saying a word.

"Damian," Jason said calmly, trying to ignore the beating in his chest. He'd never been good at talking to kids; even when he was a teen he kind of had trouble connecting with people. Being on the basketball team was what really had made him accepted.

"_What?_" came the quiet answer. Damian looked at him, his stunningly dark blue eyes sharp against his contrasting pale skin.

"I…uh…you want to tell me what happened?" Jason sat down on Damian's bed and looked at him straight in the eyes.

There was a pause and then Damien pulled his unhurt arm over his eyes. "They jumped me," he murmured.

"Who?" Jason's breath caught in his throat; this story sounded incredibly familiar.

"A couple guys outside school. I think there were four."

"Why'd they do it?" Jason pressed, leaning forward and looking at Damian right in the face.

Damian looked down at his hands which he was twisting together. "You wouldn't understand."

Jason put a hand on Damian's shoulder and breathed softly, studying the teenager's soft features. "Try me."

* * *

Gabriella Montez slipped her diamond ring off her finger. Grasping it, she slid it back onto her finger. On and off. On and off.

She couldn't believe it. She was getting married in less than four months and now a waterfall of emotions was raining down on her.

There was no doubt she wanted to get married; she knew that. It was just… Troy had always been her _boyfriend_; they'd loved each other since high school, but _still_, the thought of settling down with him and perhaps starting a family worried her. She wondered if she'd miss the freedom; how her life was ready for an incredible change. How many _sacrifices_ she would have to make, how they were going to afford their house and so on.

She wondered if she was ready. Ready to face the challenges that were ahead of her, if she was sure she could handle it.

Looking around her small apartment, she smiled faintly at the bouquet of roses lying on the table that Troy had brought her the night before. A smile spread over her face as she remembered how he'd put one in her hair and called her his princess.

Troy was amazing. Gabriella loved him. She couldn't wait to get married; she'd been thinking of this ever since high school.

Then why was she having doubts?

* * *

"_Mr. Evans_!" There was a shrill cry from down the hallway and Ryan Evans turned sharply to face his assistant. "_Yes,_ Emma?"

"Oh," Emma stopped short, flicking her short dark brown hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Evans."

"No problem," Ryan sighed exasperatedly, adjusting his light blue tie. "What is it?"

"The reservation with Mr. Okita—is it today or tomorrow?" Emma pushed her black framed glasses up her nose anxiously.

"I don't know, Emma—_you're_ supposed to take care of that for me," Ryan groaned in frustration. "I mean, you _are_ my secretary."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Evans," Emma apologized, "I'll straighten things out." She walked away, her brow creased with worry, as Ryan just stared after her. He fixed the collar of his shirt and continued his walk.

As he reached the elevator down the hall, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered, checking the caller ID, "Hi Sharpay."

"Hey, Ry, how are things?" On the other end his sister sounded flustered with excitement and Ryan envisioned his twin, her blonde locks of hair curling around the shoulder. He imagined her twirling a strand of it in her finger as she talked to him right now.

"Pretty good, Shar. The Evans hotel has never been in better hands," he smirked as he pressed the button for the lobby in the elevator.

There was a laugh from the other end. "Nice seeing you so confident, big brother," Sharpay told him with a sly giggle. "So, when are we going to meet up again?"

"I don't know, Shar—your acting career is taking up a lot of room. I saw you on the _People_ magazine—seems like you've been getting kind of busy, huh?" Ryan stepped out of the elevator as it dinged when he reached the lobby.

"Well 'So You Think You Can Act' was pretty good for me, you know—since I won and all." Ryan remembered the thrill when they found out Sharpay had won the contest, and basically, national fame.

"Duh," he said with a grin. He motioned to the valet parker to get his car.

"And Ry, guess what?" Sharpay tried to hide the excitement in her voice, but Ryan detected it anyways.

"What happened, Shar?" He pushed back his hair, trying to flatten it more to look professional and adjusted his tie again.

"You know the audition I was telling you about? The one for that new movie—'Haters?'" Sharpay's voice was trembling with happiness, and Ryan smiled, proud of his twin sister.

"Yeah?" The valet man drove up and Ryan tipped him. The man bowed in appreciation, and Ryan climbed into his car—a very nice looking Mercedes.

"I got the part!" Sharpay squealed from the other end and Ryan envisioned his sister jumping up and down in excitement. "I just found out today!"

"That's amazing, Shar!" Ryan's heart nearly exploded with pride. "You're awesome, little sister. You really are."

"Thanks, Ry. I love you. I need to call Gabi and tell her now."

"Good luck with that, Shar. I love you."

"Love you too." There was a click and Ryan focused on driving.

And tried to figure out why he felt so alone.

* * *

What's going on with the rest of the gang? Review to find out. Taylor and Chad are in the next chapter for sure. And probably a look in at Kelsi.

Review.

-Finn


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